Various professions require a person to carry one or more pieces of equipment for an extended period of time. In some professions, such as an audio engineer or other similar sound recording specialist, access to the equipment being carried is important because, for example, the person operating the equipment might have a need to change functions or settings on the equipment quickly (e.g., during a filmed scene for a television program or a movie). Thus, the equipment is worn in front of the person, or hung to their side to provide easy access to the equipment.
Existing harnesses, specifically those designed for carrying sound recording equipment, are typically worn over a person's shoulders, thereby transferring the weight of the equipment to the wearer's shoulders and upper back. However, in some instances, recording equipment can weigh twenty-five pounds or more, and a day of shooting can last for twelve hours or more. Wearing a conventional shoulder-mounted harness for such a period of time can lead to accelerated fatigue, muscle soreness, and bad posture, among other things.
Additionally, existing harnesses are typically designed for a specific piece of equipment or for a specific line of equipment. The harnesses include attachment means such as carabiners or other similar removable fasteners that are positioned to attach to a specific piece of equipment at a specific location. As such, traditional harnesses do not permit a user to easily exchange one piece of equipment for another. For example, when renting a piece of unfamiliar equipment, a traditional harness can require the user to expend a significant amount of time to modify the harness to securely support and hold the rented equipment. Alternatively, the harness may not be compatible with the rented equipment at all, thereby wasting a limited supply of both time and resources on, for example, a live television broadcast.